Click photo to enlarge/ photo copyright Aimee Werth 2006
Beginner photographer Becki Smith poses with Michael
and her new Certificate of Completion.

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So extremely educational, yet students say they are too
fun to be called 'work'shops, so we call them 'fun-shops'!

 

These classes are run by someone with knowledge gleaned from:

Dear Photographer,
    How many times have you seen an image worth taking only to get your prints back from the lab, (or most likely nowadays looked on your monitor back home, and wondered "What was I trying to capture here? Was it those tiny trees on the far horizon that I can barely see now?  And what are these two bright orange blobs on the lakes edge that look like - oh, yeah they are - big trash cans!!?"
      "And what are these strange, out of focus lines in the foreground - oh - it's a fence.  Oh yeah, now I remember.  I was trying to get those tiny clouds reflecting in the lagoon by that boat.  There they are in that little area in the middle part.  Boy,  how beautiful and dramatic they looked; how disappointing now though- what happened?"

     Sound familiar? Even the auto-focus, auto-exposure cameras are not 'auto-composing', that's your job. And that is something that you can and must learn to get better.

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"I'm re-infused with excitement about my existing work....I feel I received more than my moneys worth!"
Chris Barley,  Advanced photographer, 
Cardiff by the Sea, California

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     Well, there is GOOD NEWS. Master photographer Michael Seewald is willing to share his techniques, and reveal all of the 'secret formulas' that have won him dozens of national and international competitions, including 'Best of Shows' at:

* The 'International Photographic Competition',
 San Diego Fair (besting 3,500 entries);

* The San Diego Museum of Photographic Art
(besting over 700 world-wide entries with his sold entry,
the only time he's ever entered);

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Click on image to enlarge.
Here, Seewald receives 'Jurors Choice' Award, San Diego Art Institute
for his oil painting (yes, Michael paints too, his techniques work for both arts)
entitled Lonely Road and Vapor Trails.

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* San Dieguito Art Guild
(local competition, winning dozens of times);

* San Diego Art Institute
(both national and international divisions).

Although Michael does not have time to enter many competitions,
when he does he often wins them.  Here Michael takes 'First Place Color' and then 'Best of Show' at the International Photo Competition at the San Diego County Fair, 1996.  That's top honors from over 3,500 worldwide entries with his 'Canal Reflection, Venice, Italy'.
 

More astonishingly, hundreds of Seewald's collectors consider his eye so extraordinary that they have purchased, sight unseen, over $250,000 of his art in the past decade! He now receives an average of $2,500 per photograph, sight unseen, a year in advance of the patron even seeing what they have purchased!  Many of them have now sponsored over 8 times now, showing great happiness with his art and program!  Some of his older, and thus more limited edition images, are running well over $10,000 apiece.

     Michael's weekend compositional workshops (fun-shops) are held in North San Diego County, in Southern California, and now he offers them up in Carmel, with some that run the whole week.  Europe and China are also destinations you can learn with Michael at now too. He leads you step by step through the critical thinking process necessary to make, not take, a photograph or painting worth looking at, not just for a second or two, but for many seconds, captivating your audience with well thought out images.  He'll give you the 'map' you have been missing to make you 'art'.
 

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Vivek Gulati, San Diego, California.
Beginner- Class of 1.6-7.'07

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Photo copyright / courtesy John Pohlman, class of 11.5-6.'05.
Artist Carol Foster peeks out of her studio, Spanish Village, Balboa Park. 

Using many of Michael's newly learned principles, student John Pohlman made this strong image while in the class and entered it into the Del Mar International photo completion, on Michael's suggestion, and he WON AN AWARD!

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Michael's weekend
and/or one week class covers:

Day I  - Theory
This first day zeroes in on what Michael finds to be the weak link in every photographers (or painters) arsenal; composition.  That 'ability to see' on how an image translates onto a 2-D surface from a 3-D world.  It's an 'indoor classroom setting' but is usually held outdoors at his studio, (if it's a San Diego class) but no photos are made this day.  But what is made is a lot of great art, as we go over your existing photos and see where they 'worked' and where they did not, and how to improve them 'after the fact'.

Yes, EVEN for those that adamantly say composition is their strongpoint, soon realize that maybe it's not as much as they had thought!!!  That's because with the learning of all of the myriad of thought processes to make it even stronger, from a true master of composition, they quickly realize there is way more to it than they had imagined.

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"Michael Seewald is amazing to work with! ...the class was so very helpful and surprising to someone like me who 'thought' they had a good eye for composition.  He pushes you to the limit of frustration to better bring about the artist in you. At the same time he is fun, generous and kind. And most of all, PATIENT! I am amazed at his graciousness with everyone no matter what the skill level or equipment brought to the class. His suggestions are never without merit and always helpful. Oh, and his story telling isn't bad either. At the end of the class you will want more and guaranteed you will want to go on at least one trip with him in the future. Very Addictive. Very fun! Very educational!

D'Arcy Lewis, Temecula, CA
Class of 5.'06

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Day one -we 'build a race car', but that does not make us race car drivers.
Day two -we not only learn how to drive our newly built car, but we are soon driving it VERY FAST!!  Make sure the seat belt is fastened, ok?

Day II - Practicality
It is held in beautiful Balboa Park, near downtown San Diego, if you are in that area.  The Carmel class would have this at the Mission and at Point Lobos Start Park. 

This part is where the photographer learns the technical aspects of creating, and gets to practice the compositional elements that were taught to them in the Part I class at the same time. 

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"You must know that when you finish my
class you won't be making good photos...",
 Michael Seewald promises, "You'll be making great ones."
 (We call 'em WOWS !)

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Usually, a visit into the Museum of Photographic Arts, which is located there also, is included at no additional charge just for our students in that region.  The Carmel classes have gallery 'walk-through'/ critiques sessions instead.

Seewald's students, now knowledgeable in 'proper' cropping techniques- the why and how, use their hands it to see if cropping here can strengthen some art at the museum.
Photo copyright Michael Seewald

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Locations we shoot in:
1. The 'Spanish Village', a cornucopia of painted walkways and dozens of artist's studios in an old, rustic set of small white buildings made for the 1920 (or some such date) San Diego World's Fair. (As was the entire Park/Museum arrangement).

2. The Botanical Gardens and reflecting pools.

3. The Baroque architecture and arches of the Museums.

4.  Miscellaneous other areas in Balboa Park.

More of what Michael's weekend class generally covers:
(Note: Due to time constraints we may not cover every process due
to participants needs of extra instruction in varying departments.)

* Rules of composition, and why they can make or break a piece of art.  From the elementary ones to the more highly developed ones.

* How to actually control the eye of the viewer of you photographs, and how to place certain elements in certain places to control that eye's movement.  This is Michael's forte, and few photographers, or painters for that matter, have reached his level of expertise in this department.  If he were a college professor, you'd be calling him Dr. Seewald.

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"I really enjoyed the class and I came out with a lot more value from it than I thought I would.  It made me want to use my camera for other uses besides my commercial photography too.  It opened the door to the joy of photography ...."

Rick Whitehead,
N. San Diego County
Weekend class of 11.5-6.'05

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* 12 deadly elements that will kill what would otherwise have been a good photograph, and how and why to turn around and have them actually 'work for you' at certain times.  (Find out about tonal merger, line merger and color merger problems, how to define them, how to see them, how to control them or how to eliminate them- either in the ones already created or in future images).  How to crop portraits and landscapes to make boring art come alive, how to keep an eye out for elements that work against the composition instead of helping it.

Photo copyright / courtesy Doug Peck, class of 11.5-6.'05

Students with no skills at all end up making exciting images such as this, with knowledge taught by Michael throughout an information packed two day fun-shop.

* Learn how a light meter 'sees' and why IT IS NOT REALLY A 'LIGHT' METER, BUT A 'GRAY' METER.  Learn how to measure a scene properly, DAY OR NIGHT and set your own aperture and shutter settings, thus foregoing the 'auto' settings, if you wish, so you can create art that suits your needs.  This is a must for shots as the one above- auto setting will never get you there folks!

* 'Pre-visualizing' the image.  How to get what you originally intended through a series of techniques Michael has discovered that work great in his own art making- techniques not taught to him in four years of college photo classes.  Take the 'guesswork' out of the process;  no more 'luck only' images.  (Or "Man, Michael sure gets 'lucky' winning about HALF of all of the competitions he ever enters!")  They could soon start saying that about you!

* How to get the perfect prints from the lab, whether you use film or digital recording devices, and how to communicate with them to get good work delivered to you in the first place. 

* What the digital world has to offer, and how to incorporate it into your work-flow.  Which materials and processes are archival.  What 'digital darkrooms' will help you do over standard darkrooms, if anything.  What's the latest!

* Mounting, matting and framing tips of the finished, and now soon to be, 'award-winners'.

* Both Color and B&W techniques;

* What, when, where and how to use filters on your lenses;

* And bonus stuff like - The basics of portrait photography, singles, pairs and groups.

* And if that was not enough, much, much more.

(As Michael always says... "Bring a big brain and a large notepad!")

     From beginners with instamatics and digital cameras to those advanced folks with view cameras, all learn through this truly gifted instructor.  With proper instruction this art form becomes less mysterious and more fun! 

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"...Like many amateur photographers, I subscribe to several photo magazines, have purchased dozens of books on photographic technique and technology, and spent more than I probably should have on equipment. Why wasn't I making really great photographs? I found most of the answers in Seewald's Workshops, the best photographic investment I've made, short of sponsoring one of his works."

Bill Landon, advanced photographer,
Murrieta, California
Class of 5.'96
 

Seewald not only knows a thing or two about winning competitions, but because his art is so strong, and because he wins so often, he's recruited to judge them too.  He turned down a request to judge the San Diego International Photography Competition in July of 2006- "I'd rather leave the option to enter" he told the recruiter.

Photo © Al Joseph 2000

College photo class instructor Leland Forrester, along with Michael Seewald, judge a photograph for the North County Photo Society's annual photo competitions.  

Michael is regularly called upon to judge, not only photo competitions, but painting ones too!  Most recently, the International Photography Division, San Diego Fair has asked for future assistance.

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Students have said:  "Michael makes it too fun to be called workshops,
you should call them 'fun-shops', so we do.

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Designed so that beginners, intermediate or advanced
photographers (AND PAINTERS) move to their next level.

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..."and Michael, I was surprised you're as good a teacher as you are a photographer"....

Don Dreyfus, Atty., Solana Beach, California
Class of 2.1.'03 (and now 'refresher class' of 1.5-6.'08)
 

Photo copyright Valerie Seewald. '94
Michael Seewald working a stormy winter's day
in San Sebastian, Spain. 

Click photo to enlarge.
Photo courtesy/copyright class participant Doug Peck,
class of 11.5-6.'05.

Reflections, San Diego Museum of Photographic Arts building. 

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"If you feel, as most do, that you received 'more than your monies worth', from the fun-shop GIVE ME MORE MONEY... (nah, just kidding, you keep the difference, it's on me)." MS

Some photographers don't actually believe we have so many great testimonials (boy, if that doesn't give Michael a big head...) and they have tried to call him on it- but they can't, he has the contact numbers/ e-mail addresses of all of them for real live testimonials, by the dozens if needed.  So if you too are a doubting Thomas and you want to talk to a recent grad or two, or three or twenty, just to see if these testimonies are really real, just let us know. 

And we won't just give you someone from a class years ago either, (unless you want to) but someone from the very latest to report on his/her recent skill level improvements and enthusiasm.  Any of them would gladly share how they have improved so much, now that they are making much stronger pieces of 'art', (ok, photographs for you beginners) just as you will after you take the class! 

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Again, if you need a referral or two just let us know.  We will give you some contact names and numbers; it's so important that you take the class to get a jump start on making exciting art from here on out that we will do whatever it takes to make sure you don't miss the boat, OK? 

Seewald's motto, as in his sponsorship programs:

"Thou shalt have no unhappy campers."

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And yet another testimonial.

"Hi Valerie,
     Well, I'm back in cold New England, and just read your e-mail, referencing the Fun-Shop of last week. Thank you BOTH very much; the class was worth all of the '6000 mile' trip; you can quote me;). "

Steve Silberstein, Class of 2.1.'03.
  ...Unless you're the lead dog, the scenery never changes.

BUT, as always, nothing could be perfect! 
So here is the small print, the 'down side', the let down,
the 'I knew there was a catch' of these Seewald classes,
it all sounds too good to be true, there is no free lunch, yada, yada, yada. 
And since we are so upfront about everything, here it is...

The Seewald Class WARNING:
Warning; Seewald's photo classes have
 been found to cause sleep deprivation!

What the heck? Sleep deprivation? That's right, sleep deprivation. How's that you ask again? Well, after taking the first days class on 'the theory of seeing photographically', where participants learn how to take the images they have brought to class and, through Seewald's tutelage, turn them into award winners in competitions, many students have reported they have been just too excited to sleep when they hit the sack that night! 

Yes, they come to the next days class a bit tired, a cup of java in both hands, admitting that instead of sleeping they were thinking about the myriad of possibilities from all of their other images sitting in boxes- bringing many out and applying their new found knowledge to improve them immensely one by one!
 

More critique replies from the same Bobby Brooks as above:

Here is a statement from
Dan McGeorge's  weekend fun-shop:

Dan McGeorge, Lakeside, California
Weekend Class of 3.12.'05.

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     Are we having fun yet?  We hope so, and it's just the beginning of your 'fun-shop' experience.   We look forward to entertaining/ educating you further in our next class.   Just don't make the mistake of not taking it, like many of the, how do you say, 'ho-hum' artists that almost did.  Yes, Michael is dead serious about his art, but you'd never know it... or would you?  Anyway, he has fun with it, and you will too.

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Now even with such a sincere and wonderful, not to mention enlightening and captivating sales pitch, and since you are only half way sold 'cause you are so (insert description of yourself here), just like we would be, go read dozens of additional testimonials here! 

Or, just give up to the fact that you will be a Seewald class grad sooner than later and just sign up right now, (IF there is space- a 50-50 chance the next class is not sold out already) ...dates and prices follow...

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"...Given the in-depth portfolio review we had over the weekend, (and in comparison to other workshops I've attended) I believe that your price could have been $1,750... "

Take care,
Dorothy

Note: Have you looked at
these dates here before? 
THEN you may have to 'refresh' you browser to see the updated info; sometimes the computer shows you the old info (the cache it's called) from looking before.
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2008 Classes
Two day,
'Sun' Diego, California
Saturday & Sunday,
Weekend class - Two Whole Days- only $495.00!

Held in beautiful San Diego California. 
For digital and analog users alike.

Generally,
Only 10 students per weekend!

Two full days of training

    Day One - ‘how to see and think like a master artist’;
    Day Two-  ‘how to shoot manually and capture stronger images’. 

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San Diego-
Saturday & Sunday,
March 29th and 30th, 2008
Sold out.

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San Diego-
Saturday & Sunday,
May 3rd and 4th, 2008
A few spaces remain.

Note: class can sell out before we post so here.
Please call NOW to reserve.
760.633.1351

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San Diego-
Saturday & Sunday,
June 21st and 22nd, 2008
Weekend after FATHERS DAY, (hint, hint)!
A few spaces remain.

Note: class can sell out before we post so here.
Please call NOW to reserve.
760.633.1351
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More dates to be posted soon... better yet,
contact us to be notified regularly; Guest book
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Note: Have you looked at
these dates here before? 
THEN you may have to 'refresh' you browser to see the updated info; sometimes the computer shows you the old info (the cache it's called) from looking before.

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San Diego-
'How to make great
portraits for profit' class.

Click image to enlarge.
Buzz Blodgett, glass artist by Michael Seewald.

MUST be a previous Seewald graduate.

Seewald grads- click here for more
info / dates on this Portrait class.
Has info only, dates are only here.

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2008
Carmel, California

Click photo to enlarge. Photo copyright Michael Seewald.

Seagull,
Point Lobos State Park, Carmel, California.

Carmel California
- Spring, summer and fall -
'Three day' and 'One week'
photo classes

Click here for July 2008
details/ prices/ dates
 

Not bad, a roadmap on how to create great art for the rest of your life! And all for price of a cheap digital camera.  And without compositional and depth creating knowledge will get you nowhere fast anyhow, no matter how great the camera!!!
 

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2008
Napa - Sonoma,
California

For Seewald class grads only.

Current info here.

Note: class can sell out before we post so here.
Please call NOW to reserve.
760.633.1351

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International

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Italy-
10 days, Tuscany/ Venice Fall

2008
Can't make the whole 10 days, but some?
Only $3,495 all inclusive, less airfare to and from.

Contact for details/ reservations and read more:
International photography workshops / classes

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Note: Have you looked at
these dates here before? 
THEN you may have to 'refresh' you browser to see the updated info; sometimes the computer shows you the old info (the cache it's called) from looking before.

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And last but not least, Bobby Brooks
closing statement on the critique form:

I think I am light years ahead of where I would have been; I was learning by trial and error, and I didn't even know what I was looking for- now I have direction. I know the mechanics of good photos. I am seriously considering a new career in photography as a result of this class.

Bobby Brooks

"Oh my, I didn't expect this!  Maybe I should add
another element to the class warning, huh?"  MS

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Again, if you still need to ( ? ),
read dozens of photo class. workshop testimonials here!

Otherwise just E-Mail us to receive info
on the dates of our next 'fun-shop' or call to reserve now. 

760.633.1351

Cancellation policy as of 1.1.'04.  More than a week before class, a certificate good for a future class will be issued (good for one year).  Within a week or less before class: No refund nor certificate will be issued. 
Class held rain or shine.

Seewald's Photographic Art Gallery
and 'Award Custom Framing'.
835 N. Vulcan Ave, ste B,
Encinitas, California, USA 92024
(760) 633.1351 
Generally open Mondays thru Saturdays, 10 a.m. until 6pm.
Please call before making a special trip to come by as we are often out.

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© 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007  Seewald's Inc.  All rights reserved.
No form of reproduction or manipulation, including copying or saving a digital file is permitted. Any unauthorized usage of these images will be prosecuted to the full extent of the U.S. Copyright Law.  ALL of the images on this site are copyrighted, and are not royalty free. These photographs are available as 'stock images' and can be licensed for a negotiated fee. Use of these images is not free, and is protected by domestic and international copyright law. 
If you wish to license any of Michael's Seewald's photographs seen on this site, please fill out this form.